Case Number 19572

DORIAN GRAY (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

Opening Statement

"There's no shame in pleasure. Man just wants to be happy. But society
wants him to be good. And when he's good, he's rarely happy. But when he's
happy, he's always good."

Facts of the Case

Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes, Prince Caspian) is a wealthy young man who
has just inherited his grandfather's huge estate. Dorian is a friendly, quiet,
easily impressionable fellow who doesn't have many friends and doesn't get out
much. His first task upon moving into his grandfather's mansion is to pose for a
huge portrait being painted by artist Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin, The Thin
Red Line). However, once the painting is nearly finished, Dorian is eager to
get out and about. At a party, he's introduced to Lord Henry Wolcott (Colin
Firth, A Single Man). Henry is delighted at the opportunity to lead an
innocent young man into trouble, and introduces Dorian to a world of unchecked
hedonism.

Dorian is enjoying this newfound lifestyle immensely, particularly when he
notices that his irresponsible behavior is having absolutely no adverse effect
upon him. His youth and vibrance remain eternal, but his portrait slowly ages
and reflects the bumps and bruises that should be displayed on Dorian's body. As
time goes on, Dorian begins to take bigger risks and play more dangerous games,
leading him into a world of drug-fueled orgies, violence, and even murder. Does
he have hope of redemption?

The Evidence

The tale of Dorian Gray is so naturally cinematic; I'm somewhat amazed that
it hasn't been given an endless series of adaptations over the years ala
Little Women, Treasure Island, Pride & Prejudice, the
Sherlock Holmes, stories and so on. The first feature film based on Oscar
Wilde's only novel was 1945's The Picture of Dorian Gray, starring George
Sanders and Hurd Hatfield. Obviously, much of Dorian's hedonistic lifestyle
could not be explicitly depicted in 1945, so now we have the 2009 adaptation
(simply entitled Dorian Gray) that holds absolutely nothing back. Though
this lurid melodrama is unrestrained in terms of content, the film itself seems
curiously restrained at times. Reviews of the film weren't exactly enthusiastic,
so I suppose it's not too surprising that the film is being dumped
straight-to-DVD here in the United States. Even so, I found it engaging if not
entirely satisfying.

The essential difficulty Dorian Gray seems have is in terms of tone.
The film falls somewhere between an over-the-top bit of gothic horror like
Bram Stoker's Dracula or Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the quiet
restraint of a Merchant/Ivory film. Rather than actually establishing a middle
ground, it bounces like a ping-pong ball from one extreme to the other, allowing
quiet observation to exist alongside almost laughably overheated moments. It's
by no means the ultimate adaptation of the story (just because Dorian is
superficial doesn't mean a film about him needs to be), but it does have a
certain charm about it.

Most of that charm is provided by the two principle cast members. I found
Ben Barnes very underwhelming in his breakout role as Prince Caspian, but his
turn in Easy Virtue was solid, and he's even better in Dorian
Gray. Ably capturing the journey from good-natured innocence to unrestrained
lust, Barnes handles demanding scenes with unwavering confidence. Even better is
Colin Firth, who takes a somewhat unconvincing character and makes him work. In
the early scenes, Lord Henry is so gleefully diabolical that I was
half-convinced the character was going to turn out to be Satan himself
("Giving into temptation is the only way to cure it," he declares
dryly). This contrasts dramatically with the later scenes in which Henry is an
embittered, almost tragic figure, but Firth makes the transition with ease.

The film's gloomy setting works nicely for this story, and the occasionally
bombastic Charlie Mole score enjoyably depicts every moment as somehow
threatening or ominous. The filmmakers seem torn between depicting Gray's
hedonistic exploits as ugly or exciting; an approach that doesn't work as often
as it should. In addition, the endless scenes of orgies and bloodshed just
become a bit old hat after a while and lose their effect. The best moments are
those rooted in something deeper than surface-level worldliness; consider the
sequence in which Dorian seduces a young virgin before turning his charms on her
mother. It's difficult to actually like Dorian or Henry, but the film grants
them enough complexity that we're permitted to understand their motivations and
occasionally empathize with them.

Dorian Gray arrives on Blu-ray with a very respectable 1080p/1.78:1
hi-def transfer. The film has a brooding, blueish tint much of the time and the
darker scenes benefit from considerable depth and nuance. The daytime scenes are
a bit flat at times, but it's not enough of a problem to complain about. The
level of detail is strong, while flesh tones are warm and accurate. What really
impresses is the audio, which proves surprisingly strong and immersive. Charlie
Mole's score comes through with room-rattling strength at times, while some of
the darker scenes boast unnervingly complex sound design. Supplements include an
audio commentary with director Oliver Parker and screenwriter Toby Finley, while
a handful of featurettes ("Make Up and Wardrobe," "The
Painting," "Smithfield Market," and "Visual Effects")
are very short and not really worth the time. You also get some deleted scenes,
a blooper reel and a photo gallery.

Closing Statement

If you're inclined to like moody period films and gothic melodrama, there's
enough quality stuff of that nature in Dorian Gray to make the experience
worthwhile. Those less enthusiastic about such elements probably shouldn't go
any further than a rental.

The Verdict

Dorian Gray is very, very guilty, but the film and Blu-ray release are free
to go.